Benny Thomas

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

Two respondents were members of Consilium Chambers LLP, intervened into in September 2013. The First Respondent admitted four strict-liability accounts/governance breaches and was Reprimanded, ordered to pay £6,201 costs. The Second Respondent, Benny Thomas, the principal, faced wider allegations. The Tribunal found accounts breaches, failure to protect client money, permitting non-lawyer members without SRA approval, misleading statements to the Court, a High Court finding of Contempt in the face of the Court and giving untruthful evidence on oath, misleading the Legal Ombudsman, and failing to have an equality/diversity policy. Applying Twinsectra, the Tribunal expressly found the Second Respondent dishonest. He was Struck Off the Roll and ordered to pay £18,602.80 costs, not to be enforced without leave. Total costs summarily assessed at £24,803.80.

Duties found breached:

• Not mislead the court
• Cease acting on client perjury or disobedience
• Not mislead third parties or opponents
• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
• No improper use of client money
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• Account for interest on client money
• Firm governance, systems and compliance
• Cooperate openly with regulators

Aggravating factors:

• High culpability of Second Respondent
• Dishonesty found; lied to Legal Ombudsman, regulator and High Court
• Contempt in the face of the Court - one of the most serious offences
• No insight into his actions
• Paid nothing towards intervention costs
• Considerable harm and damage to profession

Mitigating factors:

• Second Respondent: previously unblemished 10-year career, assisted forensic officers, short period of conduct
• First Respondent: honest witness, genuine insight, cooperative, made admissions, paid intervention costs, had been seriously unwell, strict liability offences only